Transportation Noise Increases Heart Risk, Even If It Doesn't Disturb Your Sleep

Key TakeawaysLong-term exposure to transportation noise can increase risk of heart attack, stroke and other heart health emergenciesNoise also increases heart risk factors like cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetesThese associations occurred whether or not a person’s sleep was disturbed by the noise.TUESDAY, Nov. 3, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Trains, planes and automobiles all pose a long-term hazard to people’s heart health, a new study says.High levels of transportation noise penetrating a person’s home increase risk of heart attack, stroke and heart disease, researchers are slated to report in Chicago Monday at a meeting of the American Heart Association (AHA).This noise poses a heart hazard even for people whose sleep doesn’t seem to be disturbed by it, researchers found.“We expected that disordered sleep would influence the relationship between noise exposure and heart disease,” lead researcher Dr. Joseph Nguyen, an internal medicine resident physician at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said in a news release. “It was surprising to find that sleep health appeared to play no role.”Noise is considered a public health risk by the World Health Organization, which has set limits on noise exposure, researchers said in background notes.For the new study, researchers analyzed medical records and lifestyle data for more than 100,000 adults. A U.S. Department of Transportation tool provided the average daily levels of noise each person overheard from cars, trucks, buses, planes and trains.The research team specifically examined average noise levels above 45 to 50 decibels, which is similar to average rainfall or typing on a keyboard. They pointed out that average noise levels are not reflective of how high noise pollution can be. “It is important to note that the noise levels in our dataset are a 24-hour average, rather than peak noise levels, which may be much higher. For example, subway stations have an average noise level of about 75 decibels at rest and can be more than 100 decibels when trains are arriving or leaving,” Nguyen said.About one-third of participants were exposed to transportation noise louder than 50 decibels, and 55% to noise louder than 45 decibels, researchers found.Results showed that exposure to transportation noise above 50 decibels was associated with an 8% to 10% increase in heart disease risk factors like high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure and diabetes.“While our primary analysis focused on the number of risk factors developed, as opposed to which specific risk factor was most affected, when analyzing risk factors individually, the strongest relationship was seen with high cholesterol, followed by high blood pressure and then diabetes,” Nguyen said.Exposure to noise greater than 50 decibels was also linked to greater odds of a heart attack, stroke or other heart health emergency.The links between noise and heart health were similar among people getting a healthy 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night and those diagnosed with a sleep disorder, researchers said.Nguyen said these results underscore the importance of limiting noise exposure.“People with noise exposure should consider strategies to reduce noise levels, such as installing thicker drywall, windows and doors in their home; placing bedrooms in the quietest areas of the house; planting dense trees and vegetation in the yard to absorb noise; and using earplugs during sleep,” Nguyen said.AHA spokesperson Dr. Keith Churchwell, an adjunct associate professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, said the study adds to growing evidence that environmental factors like air pollution, noise, artificial light, chemical pollutants and climate-related events could be contributing to heart disease and subsequent deaths worldwide. “Creating stronger policies to reduce adverse environmental exposures and building durable infrastructure that emphasizes wellness will help us tackle these environmental issues and help improve heart health, and create healthier, more sustainable communities for our children and our children’s children,” said Churchwell, who was not involved in the study.Findings presented at medical meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.More informationHarvard Medical School has more on noise pollution and health.SOURCE: American Heart Association, news release, Nov. 2, 2026 .What This Means For YouPeople who live near highways, busy streets, train tracks or airports should take steps to limit their noise exposure, even if they can sleep through it..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Transportation Noise Increases Heart Risk, Even If It Doesn't Disturb Your Sleep

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